Dolls,puppets and the like



May 5, 1970 R. ACH 3,509,661

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DOLLS, PUPPETS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28. 1968 FIG. 7

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DOLLS, PUPPETS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28. 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 N VEN 7' OR Rene ,45/1 z/i /wzz/uzuxgauw% w fl/farne s L United States Patent DOLLS, PUPPETS AND THE LIKE Rene Ach, 47 Avenue des Gobelins,

Paris 13, France Filed Feb. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 713,563 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Mar. 8, 1967, 10,846/ 67 Int. Cl. A63h 11/14 US. Cl. 46-149 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention provides an improved puppet or doll adapted to move with what may be termed a rolling gait. The doll has rotatable feet and the axis of rotation of the feet converge towards the body of the doll so that as the doll walks along the Weight is first on the left foot and then on the right foot. When the weight of the doll is on the left foot the right foot swings forward to take the weight and vice versa.

This invention relates to dolls, puppets and the like adapted to move with an ambulatory or dancing motion.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple construction of doll, puppet or the like (hereinafter termed puppet) which allows forward movement from foot to foot either in an oscillatory or unidirectional rotary movement to simulate walking or Waltzing.

According to the present invention a puppet is provided with legs having rotatable feet the axes of rotation of the feet converging in a direction away from the feet towards the body of the puppet.

Preferably the centre of gravity of the puppet is disposed on or adjacent the bisector of the angle formed by the axes of the feet so that displacement of the centre of gravity in a direction parallel to a line interconnecting the feet will cause transfer of the weight of the puppet from one foot to another while the relative rotation between the foot and the body will provide a walking action during such transfer.

The displacement of the centre of gravity may be effected by a pull on a string or wire either manually or by action of a weight or by locating the puppet on an inclined or inclinable plane. Alternatively the feet may be rotated by a motor disposed on or within the puppet in which case the feet may be provided with weights which on rotation of the feet tend to alter the centre of gravity of the puppet and transfer the weight to the other foot by rocking the puppet about the axis of the first foot.

If the inclination of the inclined plane is small the puppet performs a walking movement down the plane but if the inclination is larger the puppet will perform a Waltzing action down the plane.

The invention will be hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows diagrammatically a puppet constructed according to the invention;

FIGURES 2 and 3 show diagrammatically a puppet about to be actuated in two different manners;

FIGURE 4 shows a further manner of actuating the P pp FIGURE 5 shows a driving mechanism for a puppet having its feet positively driven;

FIGURE 6 shows a modified form of driving mechanism;

FIGURE 7 shows in elevation a further driving mechanisms intended to be mounted on a puppet; and

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 7.

Referring to FIGURE 1 a puppet 10 is shown in sec- "ice tional elevation. The puppet is formed with legs 11, 12 provided with a foot 13, 14 respectively mounted to rotate relatively to its respective leg around axes 15 and 16 respecively which converge with one another within the body of the puppet. Since the axes pass through or near the centre of gravity of the puppet, the latter will normally stand on one or other leg as shown in FIGURE 2, where the puppet stands on the rotatable foot 13 of the leg 11.

The centre of gravity of the puppet is denoted by G on the bisector of the angle formed by the axes of the feet 13 and 14 the point G lying vertically above the foot 13. If the point G is displaced to the right or the puppet is pushed it will move so as to rest on the foot 14.

FIGURE 3 shows the puppet on an inclined plane 17 standing on its foot 13. Since the puppet is freely rotatable around the axis of the foot 13 the leg 12 and the body of the puppet will pivot around said axis so that the foot 14 swings around and downwardly of the foot 13 until the direction of the weight passing through the centre of gravity passes beyond the edge of the foot 13 so that the puppet rocks to place the foot 14 on the inclined plane below the foot 13. This action is then repeated so that the puppet walks down the inclined plane with a swinging gait, the puppet turning in opposite directions With each step forward. If the slope of the inclined plane is increased the puppet moves faster turning in the same direction with each step so that it simulates a Waltzing movement.

FIGURE 4 shows the puppet on a horizontal plane and having a wire or string 18 attached to the body intermediate the legs. This string may be pulled by hand or by mechanical or electrical means or may be provided with a weight as shown at 19 which is arranged to hang over the edge of a table or the like. The pull on the string causes the puppet to rock about the axis of its supporting foot until its weight is transferred to the other foot, as previously described.

If desired the rotatable feet may be positively rotated by an electric motor or the like. As shown in FIGURE 5 two feet 13, 14 are mounted on convergent axes 15, 16 which are driven in opposite directions by a motor 20 through gearing 21, 22, 23. The feet 13, 14 carry weights 24, 25 respectively mounted adjacent the edge of the feet. During rotation of the feet the weight on that foot not in contact with the supporting plane moves into a position where it causes the centre of gravity of the entire puppet to take up a position above said foot thus ensuring the rocking of the puppet from one foot to the other while the rotation of the feet ensures the walking movement of the puppet.

In the transmission illustrated in FIGURE 5 the motor 20 rotates a gear 21 which is in mesh with the gear 22 on the axis 16 which gear in turn meshes With the gear 23 on the axis 15. The gears thus rotate in opposite directions so that the feet rotate in opposite directions and the puppet undergoes a walking movement.

If, however, as shown in FIG. 6 the gear 21 driven by the motor 20 is in mesh with each of the gears 22, 23, the latter rotate in the same direction so that the feet rotate in the same direction. Thus the movement of the puppet is not equivalent'to a Walking movement as in FIG. 5, but simulates the movement of a person Waltzing. If further the puppet while so moving meets an obstacle it is not stopped 'but continues to move in the reverse direction.

In the cases of the motor driven feet shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the displacements of the centre of gravity are caused by the weights on the feet but the displacements may be produced alternatively by a weight balanced inside the puppet.

Such an arrangement is shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 7 and 8 in the form of an actuating mechanism intended to be mounted on the body of a puppet and pre- 3 ferably shrouded by a skirt or other article of clothing (not shown).

A support 30 intended to :be secured to the body forms bearings for legs 31, 32 carrying feet 33, 34 respectively. The support 30 also carries a motor 35 actuated for example by abattery 36. The motor shaft 37 carries a pinion 38 in mesh with a gear wheel 39 secured to a shaft 40 mounted for rotation in hearings in a bracket 41 fixed to the support 30. Shaft 40 carries a further gear wheel 42 meshing with gear 43, 44 mounted on the legs 31, 32 respectively.

Rotation of the motor shaft 37 rotates the shaft 40 through the gears 38, 39 so that the gear wheel 42 rotates to drive the gears 43, 44 and thus to rotate the legs 31, 32 in the same direction.

Mounted on the support 30 is an arm 45 carrying a pivot pin 46 on which is freely mounted a lever 47. The lever 47 at its upper end is forked as shown at 48 and straddles a pin 49 rigidly secured to the gear wheel 43 and projecting upwardly therefrom. At its lower end the lever 47 carries a weight 50-.

Rotation of the gear wheel 43 causes the pin 49 to move in a circular path and carry along the forked end 48 of the lever 47 so that in one revolution of the gear wheel 43, the upper end of the lever 47 undergoes a complete reciprocation. Thus the weight 50 moves to and fro in an are above the feet from a position wherein it causes the centre of gravity of the entire puppet to lie on a vertical line within the bounding edge of one foot to another position wherein it causes the centre of gravity to lie on a vertical line within the bounding edge of the other foot, thereby causing rocking of the puppet.

It will be noted that since the gear wheels 43 and 44 in FIGS. 7 and 8 rotate in the same direction so that the feet 33 and 34 also rotate in the same direction the puppet will perform a Waltzing movement rather than a walking movement. It is however, easy to arrange the gearing in the manner shown for example in FIG. 5, so that the puppet undergoes a walking movement.

The construction embodying an oscillating weight as described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 is advantageous in that it avoids any tendency of the puppet to rock towards the front or rear which may possibly arise in the constructions of FIGS. and 6 when both the weights are set at the front or rear respectively. Moreover the oscillating weight may be more readily shrouded by an article of clothing of the puppet, thus providing an improved aesthetic appearance.

When the puppet moves under the action of an external pull on a string or due to its own weight on an inclined plane the feet should be of circular form. In the case of motor driven feet however it is possible to use feet of a shape other than circular, for example of trapezium shape which by suitable transmission produces forward rocking of the legs due to the displacement of a weight, either on the feet or within the puppet.

What I claim is:

1. A puppet comprising a body, two legs pivoted to the 'body and projecting downwardly from the body, a foot rotatably mounted at the lower end of each leg with the axes of rotation of the feet converging in a direction away from the feet and towards the body, and the centre of gravity of the puppet being located adajcent to the bisector of the angle formed by the axes of the feet so that displacement of the centre of gravity of the puppet in a direction parallel to a line inter-connecting the feet transfers the weight of the puppet from one foot to the other so that the puppet walks forward due to the legs alternately swinging forwards in an arcuate path each around its own axis.

2. A puppet according to claim 1 which includes means for positively rotating the feet and at least one weight movable to displace the centre of gravity to cause the puppet to rock from one foot to the other.

3. A puppet according to claim 1 which includes means for positively rotating the feet and weights mounted on the feet.

4. A puppet according to claim 1 in which a weight is mounted on the puppet and is positively moved from a position substantially above one foot to a position substantially above the other foot.

5. A puppet according to claim 1 provided with means to positively rotate the feet in opposite directions to produce an amabulatory movement of the puppet.

6. A puppet according to claim 1 provided with means to positively rotate the feet in the same direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,808,695 6/1931 Deventer 46-449 2,140,275 12/1938 Wilson 46-149 3,200,538 8/1965 Glass et al 46150 XR OTHER REFERENCES Mechanix Illustrated, p. 100, Shufdin Sam, September 1963.

ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner 

